Despair or Hope?
by Jolteon Master
Summary: The thrilling sequel to "Curse or Fate?" All of your favorite characters are back, along with a few additions. Hope you enjoy. Please Read and Review.
1. Chapter 1

**For those of you reading this who have not read "Curse or Fate" then shame on you! If you wish to completely understand this story please go read "Curse or Fate?"**

**DJ: You're going to torture you beloved reviewers like that?**

**Why are you here again?! You know what don't answer, ever. For those of you who have read "Curse or Fate?" Then welcome to the long (or short I'm not sure) awaited sequel. Now without further ado read and review.**

**DJ: Where's my pillow?**

**ZIP IT!!**

**Charlotte**

It seemed like easy prey. Sure she was outnumbered four to one but she had handled more than that before. She had been following the group for a few days; Charlotte liked to get to know her prey before she attacked it. The group she was currently watching consisted of two boys and two girls. All of them were blond except one of the boys. From what Charlotte could tell the brunette boy was dating the taller blond girl while the blond guy was going out with the other blond. So far she had only seen two Pokémon, one Jolteon and one Bellossom. From the two battles she had seen them fight in, the Jolteon seemed the stronger one. Both were pretty strong but she knew the exact spots to put them out like a light.

She almost felt sorry for them, they all seemed so happy, too bad. It was all about survive or die, and tonight she intended to survive.

The four teens had stopped in the middle of an open field, smart, wide and flat enough to be able to see an ordinary thief, but of course Charlotte was no ordinary thief. The group surrounded the camp fire and set up sleeping bags with their backpacks set in front of the tall blond and the Pokémon nestled in front of the fire. As soon as they all fell asleep Charlotte made her move. She was dressed in the darkest suit she owned and quietly moved her way to the tall blonds' sleeping bag. As she made it across the brunette's bag the blond boy started to move. Charlotte quickly did a back flip away from the group and hid in the tall grass. The admittedly handsome boy stood up and made his way towards the woods, Charlotte assumed to use the toilet. She knew he would be gone just long enough for her to steal their bags. She quickly but quietly made her way back to the backpacks and was able to get two on her back and the other two on her arms. She had to be quick her time was running short.

She ran to the part of the woods the boy had not gone into. She ran as fast as she could which was pretty fast. No one had ever caught her before, sure she had had a few close shaves but no one could ever catch her. Then she heard it, it was very faint but she heard the distinct sound of yells and a few barks. There was no way Charlotte could outrun a Joelton, she would have to fight it if it found her. She heard the movement of leaves behind her somewhere, she froze. She had not expected the Jolteon to get there that quickly.

She took deep breaths; if she needed to she knew the exact point to hit the Jolteon to put it to sleep for a while. A bark and a growl. She crawled under a bush; the trees did not have low enough branches for her to climb up. Then she saw it, them actually. They had three freaking Jolteon! They must have kept them all in their pokeballs. She slowed her breathing to a near stop. All three noses hit the dirt sniffing for her. She grabbed a nearby rock and threw it off into the adjacent brush. The Jolteon all looked up at the noise and ran off.

Charlotte crawled out of the bush and took off running keeping her eyes out for a tree she could hide in. A few more seconds and she knew the Jolteon had given up on her trick and were quickly gaining distance. She had no choice but to try and take them. She flung the backpacks against a tree and took a stance to get ready for the Jolteon. All three popped out of the forest at once and immediately set their sights on her. Their intention was obviously not to harm her or they would have attacked already, she grinned, big mistake.

She brought a roundhouse kick into the head of the nearest one. It was dazed but quickly regained stability and growled. Now they had an idea of what they were dealing with. The small pack split up and tried to surround her. But Charlotte quickly backpedaled until she knew they couldn't get behind her. They started to growl and enclose her. She drew a pebble from her hip bag and threw it into a soft spot in the nearest Jolteon's head. The Jolteon went to the ground unconscious. The other two quickly dropped their frightening approach and leaped at her. Charlotte dove and rolled under them, the Jolteon rammed their heads into a tree. She threw another pebble into the head of the other Jolteon. The other one now stared her down. She stared right back into its black eyes. She carefully reached back into her bag and grabbed the biggest pebble she had. The Jolteon actually grinned at her!

That grin made her freeze, from behind her a vine shot into the pressure point in her neck. She was on the ground much like the Jolteon she had shot down.

The next thing Charlotte knew she was tied up with vines and sitting in front of a fire. She had actually been caught. At least they hadn't taken off her mask yet. The group was already up and dismantling their camp. She saw no sign of the other two Jolteon just the one staring her down right now. She knew this was the same one that had grinned at her, she glared at it. It barked and everyone turned to Charlotte. The shorter blond girl came forward.

"Well, well our "guest" is awake." Charlotte went ahead and decided she didn't like her. With a closer look Charlotte could see the firm muscle under the girl's skin. That and doubled with the insult and Charlotte hated her. She spit at her.

"Hey! Watch it." The girl stepped away. The brunette boy stepped forward and reached for her mask.

"Let's see who exactly we're dealing with." The boy grabbed Charlotte's mask and promptly tore it off her head. Her long, rust colored hair fell out and her amber eyes glared at them all. The group all simultaneously gasped. For a six year old girl sat glaring at them.

**There you go I rather liked it, for a first chapter.**

**DJ: 'Snore' Huh? Is it over?**

**'Face palm' Why do I even bother? Just review, please.**


	2. How to Catch a Thief

**Well Merry Christmas! And Happy New Years! For your present here's a new chapter. **

**DJ: Oh, goody.**

**There is nothing you can say to ruin my good mood today, ok?**

**Charlotte: How about me?**

**WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!?! My mood is officially ruined, please read and review while I get this settled.**

**How to Catch a Thief**

Andrew, Sammy, Brandon, and Joan, that was their names, at least that's what they had told me. A simple rule I go by is not to trust the people who were able to capture you among the thousands of trainers who have never been able to capture you. It just didn't add up, I had taken down much larger groups than just four people before, so how had they captured me? Also those Jolteon. The first one, Jack, was on constant guard in case I could escape from the multitude of knots they had me tied up in. The other two had dissappeared. Not once in the two days I have been at their little camp have I seen them. The Bellossom seemed to actually be the cook of the group. And I admit that it was actually pretty good grub.

As for the human side of the group, they tried to get me to talk non-stop. Especially the girls, Sammy kept asking me my name and where I was from. Joan actually asked me how I had snuck past them so easily. They both made me want to bang my head into a wall. Like I would tell complete strangers, who had me captive no less, anything about me or my life. The boys seemed to try and keep their distance. They had kept up camp in the field, I assumed to wait for an Officer Jenny. They surprised me the next day when they told me we were moving.

"Finally."

Andrew grinned at me. "What do you know? She talks." I rolled my eyes and glared at him.

"Let me guess, Officer Jenny's in the next town?" They tried to avoid my gaze at that statement. I knew it.

"Fine, but before you turn me in let me congratulate you. You are the first group out of hundreds to capture a six year old thief. You must be very proud." Joan glared at me, she had this feral look in her eyes that scared me.

"Don't even try a guilt trip with us. You tried to rob us, and we're turning you in. I can see that you're smarter than your age should allow, so don't act like you didn't see this coming you little..." Brandon stepped in.

"Stop Joan. Let's just go." I gave one last glare at the group before they picked me up and led me towards the woods. The Jolteon watched me from the back and the Bellossom from the front. The rest of the group walked in front of us. Now that I was standing I could get a better feel of the knots they had me in. I grinned, they may have had me in a lot of them, but they were easy knots to undo. All I needed was some time. I started to work my hands subtly so that Jack couldn't catch my movement. Soon I had the knot on my hands loose. I had to bow my head low to reach the one on my chest, I made it look like I was sad and wanted to mope by bowing my head. I wanted to laugh, it was so easy, and they were falling for it. The knot on my chest was undone and with the right amount of force I could wrestle out of the rope in a cinch.

I slowed my pace just enough to where I was making my way closer to the Jolteon, but just enough to where it was not noticeable. Before Jack could yelp I kicked him in the vocal cords and knocked him out. There was no point in taking out the Bellossom so I let her be and took off into the forest. I threw the ropes into a path to cover my tracks and kept running into the less traveled part of the woods. If I was right they would send out those other two Jolteon as soon as they knew I was gone. I kept running as fast as I could, but it wasn't long until I heard yells and feet running in the leaves. I glanced over my back to see if anyone was near.

The two Jolteon were on my tail again. I saw them but it didn't exactly look as if they had seen me yet. I sped out of the area as fast as I could. I looked over my back again and this time I tripped over a vine. I fell with a huge 'thud'. I heard barks, they had heard me! I tried to get back up but my foot was entangled in the vine. I turned over to untangle myself and my blood ran cold, clutched around my ankle was a golden-white tail with a soft orange tip pointed straight at me. I had tripped on a Ninetales' tail. I had to get out of there. I struggled to remove the tail from my foot but it was too strong. I heard rustling and turned my head to see two bright red spheres peer out from the dark woods. My mouth started to run.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see it, I swear! Please don't hurt me, my family will be crushed. I'm only six!" I lied about the family for sympathy. I tried to say more but my lips were paralyzed by some force. I started to shiver and broke out in a cold sweat. The Ninetales said nothing. I heard the group approach us but I was unable to turn my head. I knew they had seen me when I heard a yell, and knew they had seen the Ninetales when I heard a gasp. Apparently the Ninetales liked an audience because it had decided to start the show.

A spark of blue energy ran across the tail and into my leg. I screamed, the pain was immense. I tried to jerk my leg away but the Ninetales still had a strong hold on it. Then more sparks started to come across its tail, they increased in number until the whole tail was lit up with blue energy. Tears were streaming down my face and all I could do was give hoarse sobs after my voice was gone from screaming. I felt a bone crack and wanted to throw up. A voice that wasn't mine started to narrate what was happening.

"_First off we need to make you the right size." _More bones started to crack and dissappear. I had shrunk to about three feet when the bones stopped breaking. _"Next we need to change that skin." _My skin lost all hair and freckles on it. Then it started to shine, my skin was completely smooth and it slowly changed to a sky blue color. _"And that face just won't do." _My jaw cracked and part of my face pushed out from my head. My now bald head narrowed and my neck shrank towards the rest of my body. _"And now for the dressing on our Pidgey." _My ears elongated and pushed out from my head, a sharp feeling came out from the top of my forehead. From what was left of my neck sprouted a white collar. My tail bone sprouted from the rest of my body and tore through my pants, the end of it seperated into two fins. By now I was numb and could barely feel the pain. Then my spine rose out of me, literally the white bone shone in the light, I heard someone from the viewers throwing up. The bone changed from white to a dark blue and turned into ridges riding from my tail to the back of my head.

_"Thus our show comes to an end. Please DON'T come back." _The tail finally slithered away from my foot and dissappeared into the trees. I could barely stand and when I was finally able to turn to the group that was watching I blissfully passed out into the open arms of Brandon.

**I told you not to bring any of my characters out from the stories!**

**DJ: Hehe. Tough luck.**

**I swear, when I get to the shrink! **

**DJ: Please, we've been through this before.**

**Reader's please review while I punch the living daylight out of this nuisance.**

**DJ: Again, I'm in your head.**

**While I mentally beat the heck out of him, please review.**


	3. Decisions, Decisions

**I'm not going to bother with a lengthy introduction this time. I just want to simply say thanks to all those who have stuck with me during this long, long...long break. I apologize and hope to put chapters up more quickly.**

**Anyway please Read and Review!**

* * *

When Charlotte finally came to dawn had already come and gone, it looked to be nearly noon by the placement of the sun in the sky. Bright, fluffy clouds floated lazily across the sky while flocks of Pidgey and Pidgeotto played in their airy domain. She was swiftly brought back to earth by a dark chuckle behind her.

"Have a nice nap sweetheart?" The voice was light, yet harsh at the same time and definitely male, it cut across the air like a knife. Charlotte tried to stand up to face whoever was speaking to her, but her legs crumpled underneath her when she tried to stand on two legs. She succeeded only in eliciting another chuckle from whomever was watching the poor girl.

"I wouldn't try that sweetheart, did you forget about last night?" Like a punch to the gut all of the events of last night came rushing back to her. Charlotte started to shake, she had to force herself not to look down, if she saw what she had become she knew she would lose it, in all meanings of the phrase, and she refused to cry and show weakness in front of whoever was watching. When she stopped herself from shaking she raised her head and spoke in a voice that was slightly shakier than she would have liked it to be.

"My name's not sweetheart." She was able to gain a few seconds of silence, and another chuckle.

"Got some spunk don't we? And you're how old again?" Charlotte kept her lips zipped shut. "So, that's how it's gonna be is it?" Charlotte heard footsteps make their way toward and around her, they were too quick to be a human walking on two legs. She turned her head just enough to get a first look at who was approaching her. A Jolteon, Jack she remembered, she had always thought he looked odd but she just realized to what extent, where most Jolteon's had white and yellow coats of fur, he had gray and white, no not really gray either, his coat shimmered and made it seem more like his fur was made of silver. He had plenty of battle scars, telling Charlotte that he wasn't one to back away from a fight, which crossed out one of her escape plans. He looked down at her sizing her up much the same way she had just looked him over, looking for strengths and weaknesses. After his assessment was apparently over he looked down at her and smirked.

"Not so tough now are we sweetheart?" Charlotte must have looked as shocked as she felt at seeing and hearing this Jolteon talk to her like some regular human. It made no sense and she couldn't wrap her mind around what was happening, kind of hard to do given all that had happened within the past 24 hours, but she knew she couldn't give him the satisfaction of her being disoriented. She had to find a way to escape, and quick.

"And before you think about trying to run away again, try taking a look around you." Almost like he had read her mind, he motioned for Charlotte to look behind her. She cautiously turned her head around, making sure to keep eye contact as long as possible, he simply stood there with a bemused smirk on his face patiently waiting for her to turn completely around. When she finally did look behind herself she was almost surprised to find a rope tied around her midsection that connected to a stake in the ground only a few feet away. She calmly turned back around and looked at Jack blankly and put as much sarcasm and bitterness as she could into her what she said next.

"So, you've caught a six year old girl, congratulations." He grinned even more, if that was possible.

"Please, you're really gonna try and play _that_ card again? You've got to realize, that's not going to work around here, sweetheart."

"Well, you can't just keep me like this!"

"Where else are you gonna go?" Before she could reply she heard footsteps from the forest headed towards them. Four sets, human, two slightly heavier than the others, and there they were. Brandon, Joan, Andrew, and Sammy came walking out of the trees each one carrying and armful of berries of varying types. Charlotte quickly became aware of how hungry she was at that moment. The four had been engaged in some lighthearted conversation which came to a screeching halt as soon as they saw that Charlotte was awake.

Without saying anything they walked over to the remains of their campfire from the night before and lay their pickings on a few clean leafs. They went about doing small chores to prepare for breakfast, or lunch, or possibly even dinner for all Charlotte knew. They didn't say a word and barely looked at Charlotte. Finally she couldn't take it anymore.

"What are you going to do to me?" Only two of the humans turned to her when she said that, Andrew and Joan, Brandon and Sammy only looked towards Charlotte when they noticed the other two paying her attention. Interesting, thought Charlotte. As their conversation continued translation was handed back and forth between Andrew and Joan. Andrew sighed, he and Joan sat cross-legged in front of Charlotte, Brandon and Sammy sat likewise on either side of them.

"What do you think we _should_ do to you?"

"I asked you." Joan's face twitched in irritation.

"Don't get snippy with us girly, you're lucky we brought you back here in the first place."

"Really? Funny, I don't exactly feel like I found a four-leaf clover."

"Wow! A thief _and_ witty, great idea guys, letting her come with us."

"Letting? I don't believe I was really given a choice here!" Once again Jack was chuckling like he enjoyed nothing more than a good fight. Andrew interrupted before Joan had a chance to respond.

"Stop it! I am not going to leave her like this, I've been in her shoes before, I can't do that to this poor girl." Joan scoffed.

"Andrew, please, she's hardly a 'poor girl' she's a thief!" Charlotte's heart started racing, two people were fighting over her, it reminded her of her, NO, she would not let those memories into her mind. She shook her head, closed her eyes, and locked her jaw until the feelings passed. Meanwhile the arguing over her continued like she wasn't even there which made Charlotte even angrier and more emotional. It got to the point where she couldn't take it anymore.

"I'M RIGHT HERE! Stop talking like I'm not here!" Andrew and Joan both shut up and stared at Charlotte with open mouths. "I might be six, but I'm not stupid, I can take care of myself. I was able to do it this long as a human I'm sure it's even easier as a Vaporeon!" Her heart stopped, it was the first time it had been said what she was now, and it had come from her own lips too.

In that moment she let her guard down, it wasn't long, but it was long enough for all the emotions she had kept pent up for so long all came rushing into her all at once. Her frustration, loneliness, and loss all came pouring out in tears that didn't seem to end. Despite her long sleep from before, for the first time in her young life Charlotte cried herself to sleep, thankful for the blissful darkness to hide her from the world. A soft blanket was carefully placed around her as she slept.

"Andrew, that was the best blanket! She's going to get it wet!"

"Shut up Brandon, I think she needs it more than you do right now." Brandon grumbled under his breath something that sounded a lot like "she's clucking asleep gambit!" But otherwise didn't object any further. Andrew turned back to the group.

"Tomorrow we're going to the nearest town and we're calling Cory about this, that's final." Sammy walked up to him and touched his arm.

"If that's what you think is best, I know this must be hard on you." Andrew grabbed her hand and held it.

"I'm fine, I just don't want her to go through everything I had to, that's why I want to see Cory, maybe she knows some kind of spell that can fix this." Joan and Brandon didn't say anything, even though there were obviously against helping the girl who had nearly gotten away with all of their belongings. Jack was peacefully taking a nap with a smirk plastered across his lips.

* * *

**Well, there ya go! Tell me whatchya think!**


End file.
